Lomachenko Views Pedraza As A Legacy Fight

Days away from his return to the ring against Jose Pedraza, lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko spoke with ESPN’s Teddy Atlas and claimed that his goal is to cement his legacy in boxing.

“I want to unify titles,” Lomachenko told the trainer and broadcaster. “It was my first goal when I came into the pros. I tried to unify titles at 126, 130, now I try at 135. Maybe this weight will be lucky for me. … I want to prove my father is the best coach, a genius of boxing. That’s why I do this. But it’s not his plan, it’s not his choice about second titles, third titles, it’s my choice. I want to put my name in boxing history.”

The three division titleholder has been on a tear since turning pro, with only one loss to Orlando Salidio in a 12 round split decision in 2014. Since then, Lomachenko has won ten straight fights, four of which have seen the hard hitting Ukrainian force fighters to quit instead of carry on another round, including Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Lomachenko’s high point would be earlier in 2018, where he would stop Jorge Linares in the 10th round of their lightweight title clash in May.

Lomachenko let his father prepare the strategy in this fight, as he’s scouted Pedraza when he defeated Ray Beltran in August.:

“My father watched when he won his title, and he explained what I need to do in the training. … My father is the gamer, I am the game. … We have a little secret for this fight, we’ve changed a little bit of the strategy. So we’ll see in the ring.”

For Pedraza, this is the biggest fight of his career since losing to Gervonta Davis in January 2017 at Barclays Center, marking the only mark in the loss column for the native of Puerto Rico.

Pedraza has stayed very active in 2018, fighting and winning three straight fights, including taking the WBO lightweight title from Beltran earlier this summer.